Method of filling and closing cartons



Aug. 30, 1 949. D. E. MARSHALL EIAL- 2,430,587

METHOD OF FILLING.AND CLOSING CARTONS Filed Aug. 31, 1944 -2Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR DONALD E- MARSHALL STANLEY R- HOWARD FRANCISRlCLfl RK MWM.

y A ORNEY Aug. 30, 1949. o. E. MARSHALL ETAL METHOD OF FILLING ANDCLOSING CARTONS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 31, 1944 INVENTOR DONALD E-MARSH/ILL STRN LEY FPHNCS L A OR EY Patented Aug. 30, 1949 METHOD OFFILLING AND CLOSING CARTON S Donald E. Marshall, Summit, N. J., andStanley R. Howard, Milton, Mass, and Francis Ross Clark, West Orange, N.J assignors to Colgate- Palmolive-Peet Company, Jersey City, N. J., a

corporation of Delaware Application August 31, 1944, Serial No. 552,022

18 Claims.

The present invention relates to a method of filling and closing cartonsand, more particularly, to a method of providing a full package ofmaterial in particulate form, such as flakes or granules of soap, etc.

In the conventional method of packaging particulate material, a cartonhas been used having four separate top closure flaps integral with, andextending from, the four side walls of the carton. It has beencommercial practice to fill such cartons with particulate materialsomewhat below the score lines defining the boundaries between the sidewalls and the top closure flaps. This partial filling has been necessarybecause, in moving the carton from station to station in filling andclosing machines, the contents tend to shift and pile up higher at someplaces than at others. If the carton were completely filled at thefilling station, the separate flaps could not retain the material as itshifted and piled up; the result being that undesirable leakage betweenthe flaps occurred and, when the package Was finally closed, it was onlypartially filled anyway. Even if the carton arrived full at the closingstation,

the contents interfered with the application of glue to the flaps andwith the sealing of the flaps to each other in the closing operation.Imperfectly sealed cartons allowed the contents to sift out duringhandling and transportation. Most particulate materials, moreover, packtogether more closely after packaging so that, when the packages reachedthe ultimate consumer, the contents were a considerable distance belowthe top of the carton. A very bad impression was created on the consumerwhen such incompletely filled cartons were opened.

Numerous attempts have been made to overcome these disadvantages. Oneproposal has been to overfill the carton and to compress the contentsinto the carton by a plunger. This proposal has not been foundsatisfactory in practice in packaging many commodities, e. g., soapproducts. Another proposal has been to overfill the usual type ofcarton, next to fold down the narrow top closure flaps by a machineprovided with special means for preventing the contents from oozing outbetween the ends of the flaps, then to bend the broad top closure flapsoutwardly to receive an application of glue, and finally to fold onebroad flap over the other to seal the top of the carton. This has notbeen entirely satisfactory in practice because the particulate materialgets between the narrow flaps and the broad flaps and, to a certainextent, adheres to the 55 broad flaps and becomes mingled with theadhesive, thereby preventing a satisfactory sealing.

A further proposal has been to provide the outer carton with a liner,either in the nature of an inner bag or as a partial liner adhesivelysecured to the inner wall of the carton and extending considerably abovethe ends of the top flaps. When using'such a liner, the open end can besealed and then pressed down into the carton, after which the top flapscan be satisfactorily adhesively secured together. This proposal,however, involves considerable additional expense and an increasednumber of operations in the making and closing of the carton.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome the disadvantagesof the prior art methods of filling and closing cartons and to provide amethod of compressing particulate material into a carton by top closureflaps which maintain the top substantially closed against loss ofcontents during this operation.

It is another object of the invention to provide a method ofmanufacturing a, full package of particulate material, adapted to beperformed in automatic filling and closing machines, in which loss ofcontents from overfilled cartons is prevented during the movement of thecartons from a filling station to one or more stations for the closingoperation.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a method ofmanufacturing a full package of particulate material by reducing thedimensions of a carton after it is filled and packed and using flaps,developed in reducing the dimensions of the carton, to crowd thematerial into the carton without appreciable spillage or breakage of thematerial.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following detailed description of an illustrativeembodiment of the invention, taken in conjunction with the drawingsthereof, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective View of the upper end of a cartonadapted to the present invention and which may be filled above the scoreline with material in particulate form;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary elevation of the narrow side of the carton;

Figure 3 illustrates the clipping position;

Figure 4 shows the completion of the severing operation and thepositioning of the top closure flaps for the closing operation;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the flaps inpartially closed position;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional the integral extensions 9.

View showing how the flaps are positioned for the closing operation;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the flaps almostclosed;

Figure 8 is. a: fragmentary perspective view showing the cartoncompletely closed and provided with a tight wrapper secured to thevertical walls; and

Figure 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of the closed and completedcarton with parts broken away to illustrate details of construction.

Referrin now more particularly to Figure 1, reference character 1represents a carton having two broad side walls 3 and two narrow sidewalls 5. The carton is also provided with a bottom (not shown) whichwill be closed when the contents are introduced into thelcartoni At: thetop 1 of the carton, extensions 9,, integral with the broad side walls,and extensions H, integral with the narrow side walls, are provided.

The carton is preferably made from a single blank of cardboard havingscore lines 13 defining .the vertical corners and score lines l5defining the boundary between the broad sidewalls 3 and The bottomclosure may have any suitable structure; for example, provision may bemade for a pouring spout as described more particularly in the MarshallU. S. Patent No. 2,34%362. A flap E6 is provided at oneend of the blank,for example on one of the narrow side walls 5, which is adhesivelyunitedwith one of the broad walls 3 to providethe-carton body.

It will be understood that reference in the description totop, bottomand side walls refers only to the position these parts occupy during thefilling and closing operations, and that in actual usethe various wallsofthe carton may occupy a position different from that referred to inthe description. Thus, where the bottom wall is provided with means toforma pouring spout, it will ordinarily bethetop instorage and ordinaryuse.

The extensions!) correspond inlength to the width of the broad sidewalls: 3 and are wide enough to extend, inclosed position, from onebroad wall 3 tothe other. The extensions 5 l are recessed at the topedge, as indicated by reference number [1, so that, when dividedmedlally, no part of the top edge will extend'beyond the arcs of circleshaving their centers at the score lines I5, as illustrated in Figure 2by the dotted arcuate lines. Preferably the recess com prises a shorthorizontal section t9 near the cenand two generally arcuate sectionsZl-.

The boundary between the narrow side wall- 5 and the extension Hpreferably is a line of perforations 23, for example, long slits 25adjacent to each side and short slits 21 near the center of 0 31adjacent to the line of perforations 23' and 65 short slits 33terminating some distance away from the short horizontal section H. Ashort transverse slit 35, substantially parallel to and about the samelength as the horizontal section 9, preferably is: provided adjacent tothe end 7 of the line of medial perforations 29; This leaves a land 31between. the horizontal section [9 and the transverse slit 35%.

The structure of. the carton: as just described,

ter, having a purposeto be described hereinafta,

4 tage in automatic filling and closing machines. Such machines diiferconsiderably in structural detail, but all commercial filling andclosing machines have a number of stations to which the cartons aremoved in: sequence, Special refer ence will be had, in thefollowingdescription of the method of the invention, to the way of per formingthe steps in a filling and closing machine having a filling station, aturret provided with pockets into which the filled cartons areintroduced and which moves them in sequence to a clipping station, aclosing station, and a transfer station where the cartons are removedfrom the turret and transferred into pockets in a second turret forapplication of a tight wrapper which is adhesively secured to, andcompletely enclcses,.the. carton. In such a machine, a carton of theconventional type having four separate top closing flaps would not besatisfactory in commercial scale operations, because particles of thecontents would be thrown out through the slits between theflapsas thecarton is moved rapidly from station tostation,. even if the cartons.are underfilled. Withthecarton described hereinabove, however, thisdisadvantage is satisfactorily overcome, even with overfilled oartons,by the extension 1- which. is maintained in tegral until the closingoperation, aswill appear 7 from the description which follows.

The filling machine preferably operates on a volumetric basis tointroduce a quantity of particulate material, e. g;, spray driedsoap,into the carton sufficient to fill it above thelevel of the score linesE5. The carton maybe jarred topack the contents somewhat, but for"manufacturing packages that will still be: completely full when theyreach the consumer, the material should still be above the score lines I5- afterit-has' been packed so that when the topis closed, it compressesthe material into the carton in the manner described hereinafter,

At the. clipping station to which the filled cartons are; moved, two:pairs of; automatic. shears 3.5 slit the. lands. 3;! approximately inline with the perforations. 29'. These shearsmay. not clip the. lands 31in: successive; cartons exactly the same relative position. Ithas; beenfound ad" vantageous, forthisv reason, to: provide; the horizontalsection [.9 and the; horizontal sliti3z5; This structure. givesconsiderable-tolerance tovariations in the position of. the cut made byth shears 4.5, without. leaving projections beyond the arc of the,circlereferredto above tov interfere with. the closing operation, and:Without leavin an unseveredportiontoolarge to be easily broken byfingers 4?.

After the. land 31. has been slit, the. carton is moved to the. closingstation. where, fingers fill exert pressure. against the extension H oneach side of the. line of. perforations- 28.. This. pressure readilytears. the. fibres. between. the short slits 21 and 33;. thus severing.the. extensionv ll into two wings 43L integral. with the closure flaps39 andtl l.

The present invention contemplates methods of severing extensions Hother than that specifically described herein; for example, the lines ofperforation 23 and 29' maybe composed entirely of short slits similar tothose illustrated at 21 and 33 which can. be severed or broken by theapplication of pressure on both sides of the medial line of perforations29. It has been found in actual practice; however; that such a lineofperforations may occasionally be broken while not limited thereto, findsparticular advanin handling before the carton arrives at the closingstation, and when this occurs, some 'of v a matter of very few seconds,and it is the best mode of carrying out the principle of the inventionof which we are now aware. Regardless of the particular method ofsevering the top extension, the present invention, in efiect, reducesthe dimensions of a carton after it has been filled and packed bydeveloping flaps out of the carton walls and then uses the flaps sodeveloped to compress the particulate material into the reduced cartonwithout appreciable spillage or breakage of the particles, in the mannernow to be described.

One of the fingers 41 at each end presses the free edge of the wings 43,e. g., those on flap 4|, inwardly only far enough to clear the upperedge of the side wall 5, whereas the other finger 4'! presses the wingson the flap 39 inwardly far enough also to clear the edges of the wingson the fiap 4!, as may be seen in Figure 4. This permits the top flap 39to be folded down with its wings inside the carton, as clearly seen inFigure 5.

The flap 4i preferably is folded slightly, as may 31 be seen mostclearly in Figure 6, so as to contact with the edge of the flap 39. Topflaps of the structure described, when folded in this way, substantiallyclose the top of the carton during the major portion of the closingoperation. As the movement of flap 39 continues to horizontal position,the material above the level of the score lines l 5 is crowded orcompressed into the carton without appreciable spillage or breakage ofthe material and without the use of any means, such I as plungers,belts, etc., which the prior art had found indispensable for temporarilyholding the contents of the carton compressed while the flaps werefolded into closed position. As soon as fiap 39 has been moved tosubstantially horizontal position, the flap 4| is closed down over itwith its wing 43 positioned between flap 39 and the narrow wall 5 of thecarton.

The friction between the wings 43 and the adjacent walls of thecartonusually suflices to keeps the flaps tightly closed as the cartonis moved from the closing station to the transfer face of the carton, asdisclosed in the Yates U. S. Patent No. 1,958,256.

station and into the second turret, where a wrapper designated byreference character 49 is applied. In some cases, however, where themate-,

rial is compressed to a considerable degree, it may be desirable tosupplement the frictional force tending to keep the top closed, e. g.,by providing a bar or the like in the machine to bear against the top ofthe carton as it moves from the closing station to the wrapping turret.

Any suitable type of wrapper may be used, but it is preferred to use atight wrapper which is adhesively secured to the entire outside sur-This wrapper, with the adhesive applied to the inner surface thereof,can be readily applied to three vertical faces of the carton during itstransfer from the first into the second turret. Thereafter the free endsare folded down and pressed against the fourth vertical face to providea package as shown in Figure 8. The package is then moved to otherstations where the top and bottom ends of the wrapper are folded downand adhesively secured to the package as shown in Figure 9.

The completed package manufactured in ac cordance with the presentinvention comprises a carton completely filled with material in'particulate form slightly compressed into the carton, which is held inclosed position by the tight wrapper 49. We prefer to use a wrapperaround the carton, but this is not essential. The flaps 39 and M may beheld in closed position during shipment and use by any suitable means,e. g., staples, adhesives, adhesive tapes, etc. We also prefer tooverfill the carton and to compress the contents somewhat during theclosing operation in order to produce a package that is full when theuser opens it, but the method of the invention has important advantagesif the carton is filled only to the score lines, or even underfilled. Inclosing the top flaps we prefer to tuck the wings inside, particularlywhen the carton is overfilled, but in some cases the wings on theuppermost top flap may be left Outside and be adhesively secured to theside walls, either with or without the use of adhesive between the topflaps. An ad hesive bond between at least one wing and the side wall ateach end of the top makes the end of the completed package more firm andresistant to deformation or crushing during handling and transportation.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is:

1. The method of manufacturing a full package of particulate materialwhich comprises flowing the material into a carton having a closedbottom, side walls and side wall extensions on two oppositeside walls,untilthe level of the material is above the top of the sidewalls; eachside wall extension having wings directlyconnected thereto at either endwhich serve with said extensions to retain the material above the top ofthe side wall;

and pressing the particulate material into the carton by forciblyfolding said two opposite side wall extensions, each of whichcorresponds in area to the open end of the carton, down upon theparticulate material while preventing escape thereof from the ends ofthe extensions by folding said wings inside and adjacent to the sidewalls above which they are positioned in the filling operation.

2. The method of manufacturing a full package of particulate materialwhich comprises flowing the material into a carton having a closedbottom, side walls and side wall extensions on two opposite side walls,until the level of the material is above the top of the side walls; eachside wall extension having wings directly connected thereto at eitherend which serve with said extensions to retain the material above thetop of the side wall; and pressing the particulate material into thecarton by forcibly folding said two opposite side wall extensions, eachof which correspends in area to the open end of the carton, down uponthe particulate material while preventing escape thereof from the endsof the extensions by folding said wings inside and adjacent to the sidewalls above which they are positioned in the filling operation;

and enclosing said carton in a tight wrapper.

3. The method of packaging particulate material which comprisesdepositing in a package having a closed bottom, side walls and anintegral extension above the side walls an amount of said "Particulatematerial filling'the package abov th level of the side walls, severingopposed side wall extensions from the side walls and along a medial lineto form two closure flaps having an integral wing at each end, andpressing the particulate material into the package by closing said flapswith the wings inside the package.

4. The method of packaging particulate material which comprisesdepositing in a package having a closed bottom, side walls and anintegral extension above the side walls an amount of said particulatematerial filling the package above the level of the side walls, severingopposed side wall ing the material at one station into a carton having aclosed rectangular bottom, two broad and two narrow side walls, andcorresponding side wall extensions, until the level of the material isabove the tops of the side walls; moving the filled carton to anotherstation during which the said side wall extensions prevent loss ofcontents;

. severing the narrow side wall extensions medially and from the narrowside walls to form wings integral with the broad side wall extensions;and, without moving the carton after said severing, folding the sidewall extensions down over the open end of the carton with the wingsinside whereby the particulate material is pressed into the carton.

6. The method of providing a full package of particulate material whichcomprises flowing the material at one station into a carton having aclosed rectangular bottom, two broad and two narrow side walls and.corresponding side wall extensions, until the level of the material isabove the tops of the side walls; moving the filled carton to anotherstation during which the said side wall extensions prevent loss ofcontents; severing the narrow side wall extensions medially and from thenarrow side walls to form wings integral with the broad side wallextensions; without moving the carton after said severing, folding theside wall extensions down over the open end of the carton with the wingsinside whereby the particulate material is pressed into the carton; andenclosing said carton in a tight wrapper.

7. A method of packaging particulate material which comprises depositingparticulate material in a carton having integral walls extending abovethe level of fold lines defining the height of the finished carton,severing the extending walls on opposed sides of the carton to form twoclosure fiaps having a wing at each end thereof, pressing the wings onone flap inwardly sufficiently to clear the carton wall, pressing thewings on the other flap inwardly sufiiciently to clear the wings on thefirst mentioned fiap, and forcing said. other flap downwardly beneathsaid first mentioned flap and said first mentioned flap downwardly oversaid other flap.

8. A method of packaging particulate material which comprises depositingparticulate material in a carton having integral walls extending abovethe level of fold lines defining the height of the finished carton,severing extending walls on opposed sides of the carton to form twoclosure flaps having a wing at each, end thereof, pressing lines;

' the wings on one flap inwardly sufficiently to clear the carton wall,pressing the wings on the other flap inwardly sufficiently to clear thewings on the first mentioned fiap, and forcing said other flapdownwardly beneath said first mentioned flap and said first mentionedflap downwardly over said other flap, and enclosing said carton in atight wrapper.

9. A method of packaging particulate material which comprises using acarton having two broad Walls forming the front and back and two narrowwalls forming the sides of the carton, integral walls extending fromsaid broad and narrow walls, score lines defining the boundary betweenthe broad walls and the walls extendin therefrom, a line or perforationsdefining the boundary between said narrow walls and the walls extendingtherefrom, and a line of perforations in each of said side wallextensions ptentially dividing the same into wings integral with frontand back top closure flaps, said dividing line of perforations extendingfrom a point adjacent to such boundary line perforations to a pointshort of the edge of the side wall, thereby leaving an unperforated landbetween the end of said dividing line of perforations and the edge ofthe side wall extension; filling said carton with pulverulent materialabove the level of said score severing said lands; applying suflicientpressure inwardly on said side wall extensions on both sides of thedividing line of perforations to break the boundary line of perforationsand the dividing line of perforations. and to press the Wings on oneflap inwardly sufciciently to clear the carton wall andto press thewings on the other flap inwardly sufiiciently to clear the wings on thefirst mentioned flap; forcing said other flap downwardly beneath saidfirst mentioned flap; and folding said first mentioned flap downwardlyover said other flap.

10. A method of packaging particulate material which comprises using acarton having two broad walls forming the front and back and two narrowwalls forming the sides of the carton, integral walls extending fromsaid broad and narrow walls, score lines defining the boundary betweenthe broad walls and the Walls extending therefrom, a line ofperforations defining the boundary between said narrow walls and thewalls extending therefrom, and a line of perforations in each of saidside wall extensions potentially dividing the same into wings integralwith front and back top closure flaps, said dividing line of'perforationsextending from a point adjacent to such boundary lineperforations to a point short Of the edgeof the side wall, therebyleaving an unperforated land between the end of said dividing line ofperforations and the edge of the side wall extension; filling saidcarton with pulverulentmaterial above the level of said score lines;severing said lands; applying sufficient pressure inwardly on said sidewall extensions on "both sides of the dividing line of perforations tobreak the boundary line of perforations and the dividing line ofperforations and to press the wings on one fiap inwardly sufficiently toclear the carton wall and to, press the wings on the other flap inwardlysufiiciently to clear the Wings on the first mentioned flap; forcingsaid other 'fiap downwardly beneath said first mentioned flap; foldingsaid first mentioned flap downwardly over said other flap; and enclosingsaid carton in a tight wrapper.

'11. The method of packaging particulate material which comprisesfiowingparticulate mate- 2 rial at a filling station into a carton having aclosed rectangular bottom, two broad and two narrow side walls, andcorresponding side wall extensions; moving the carton to another stationduring which tie side wall extensions prevent loss of contents; severingthe narrow side wall extensions medially and from the narrow side wallsto form wings integral with the broad side wall extensions; and, withoutmoving the carton after said severing, folding the latter down over ithe open end of the carton with the wings inside.

12. The method of packaging particulate material which comprises flowingparticulate material into a carton having a closed rectangular bottom,two broad and two narrow side walls, and

corresponding side wall extensions; severing the narrow side wallextensions medially and from the narrow side walls to form win sintegral with the broad side wall extensions; and folding the latterdown over the open end of the carton with with wings inside.

13. The method of packaging particulate material which comprises flowingparticulate material into a carton having a closed rectangular bottom,side walls and side wall extensions, severing two opposite side wallextensions medially and from the adjoining side walls to form two wingsintegral with each of the other side wall extensions, and folding thelatter down over the open end of the carton with the wings along theside walls.

14. A method of manufacturing a carton completely filled withparticulate material which comprises reducing the dimensions of thecarton after it is filled and packed by developing closing flaps out ofthe carton wall, said developed flaps on two opposite sides of thecarton being of such length and configuration that in partially foldedposition they overlap and close the end of the carton, partially foldingsaid opposed developed flaps over the open end of the carton to closeit, and completing the folding motion to compress the material into thereduced portion of the carton while maintaining the top closed by saidflaps.

15. A method of manufacturing a carton completely filled withparticulate material which comprises reducing the dimensions of thecarton after it is filled and packed by developing closing flaps out ofthe carton wall, said developed flaps on two opposite sides of thecarton being of such length and configuration that in partially foldedposition they overlap and close the end of the carton, partially foldingsaid opposed developed flaps over the open end of the carton to closeit, completing the folding motion to compress the material into thereduced portion of the carton while maintaining the top closed by saidfiaps, and enclosing said carton in a wrapper.

16. A method of manufacturing a carton completely filled withparticulate material which comprises reducing the dimensions of thecarton after it filled packed by developing closing out of the cartonwall, said developed flaps on two opposite sides of the carton being ofsuch len th and configuration that in partially folded position theyoverlap and close the end of the carton, partially folding said opposeddeveloped flaps over the open end of the carton to close it, completingthe folding motion to compress the material into the reduced portion ofthe carton while maintaining the top closed by said flaps, and securinga tight wrapper on the outside of carton.

17. The method of manufacturing a carton completely filled withparticulate material which comprises flowing the material into a cartonhaving a closed bottom, side walls, and side wall extensions, until thelevel of the material is above the side walls; said side wall extensionson opposite sides of the carton being of such length and configurationthat in partially folded position they overlap and close the end of thecarton, partially folding said opposed side wall extensions over theopen end of the carton to close it; and completing the folding motion tocompress the material into the carton while maintaining the top closedby said extensions.

18. The method of manufacturing a carton completely filled withparticulate material which comprises flowing the material into a cartonhaving a closed bottom, side walls, and side Wall extensions, until thelevel of the material is above the side walls; said side wall extensionson opposite sides of the carton being of such length and configurationthat in partially folded position they overlap and close the end of thecarton, partially folding said opposed side wall extensions over theopen end of the carton to close it; completing the folding motion tocompress the material into the carton while maintaining the top closedby said extensions; and enclosing the carton in a tight wrapper.

DONALD E. MARSHALL. STANLEY R. HOWARD. FRANCIS ROSS CLARK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 649,273 Craw May 8, 1900 667,296Craw Feb. 5, 1901 2,068,241 Maxwell Jan. 19, 1937 2,276,541 Howard Mar.17, 1942 2,350,418 Ross June 6, 1944

